Page 17 of Coordinates of Death

Aurora smirked. “You’ll see.” She opened the door.

A geeky, slender man turned, his thick glasses slipping. He shoved them farther up the bridge of his nose. “Aurora, I heard you were coming. Hill told me to give you the best of the best.”

“Thank you. This is Kordell Greene.” She motioned to their technical expert. “Kord, this is Henry Oliver, tech genius.”

Henry stumbled forward, thrusting out his hand. “Good to meet you.”

“You too.” Kordell returned the gesture.

“Firm hold. Impressive.” Henry continued to shake.

Aurora cleared her throat. “Henry, can you help us?” She respected her colleague and worked well with him, but right now they had to get on the road.

He released his grip on Kordell. “Sorry, just love meeting new people.” Henry roamed over to a long table equipped with different devices and laptops, along with various weaponry. “Here’s what I have.”

Kordell whistled and lifted the night vision goggles. “This is impressive—and expensive.”

“Nothing but the best.”

Aurora’s cell phone buzzed. She checked the screen. Ross Hunt.

Her father.

Henry gathered several devices and gingerly placed them into a black duffel bag. “Please take care of these.”

“Kord, can you grab the equipment and meet me in the rear parking lot?” She raised her phone. “I need to take this.”

“Will do.”

She hit Answer as she left Henry’s tech cave. “Dad, I’m busy. What’s up?”

“Is that anyway to say hi to your dear old dad?” His hurt tone sailed through her phone.

She cringed. “Sorry. Lots on my mind.” Aurora turned left and scrambled toward the front entrance, stopping at the coat rack. “Just a sec, Dad.” She wiggled into her parka and halted at the sound of hushed voices coming from the station’s lunchroom.

“I don’t like it. She can’t find out our connection.”

The muffled male voice sounded familiar, but Aurora couldn’t place it. She hugged the wall and stilled in order to catch the conversation better.

“Hunt won’t be any the wiser. I’ve got it covered,” another hushed voice said.

Aurora froze at the sound of her name. She edged her head slowly around the corner.

“Rory, are you there?” her father said.

She jerked back and hurried away from the lunchroom. “Dad, what did you need?” Aurora glanced over her shoulder to ensure whoever was talking hadn’t heard her hasty departure.

Thankfully, the corridor remained empty. She ducked into the station’s conference room.

“Can you come for supper tonight? My new girlfriend is coming.”

Aurora clamped her eyes shut. Another one? How old is this one, Dad? Her father was now on his fifth girlfriend . . . in three months. They seemed to get younger with each one. “I can’t. I’m heading out of town for a bit.”

“Working a case?”

“Something like that. I have to run. Talk when I get back. Love you.”

“You too. Stay safe.” He ended the call.